Folding stair.



l UNITED` STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT DANIEL KEITH, OF COUNCIL GROVE, KANSAS. y

FOLDING STAIR.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented May. 1, 1906.

To all 'wh/0m, it Wwf/y concern,.-

Be it known that I, HERBERT DANIEL KEITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Council Grove, in the county of Morris and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Stairs and I do declare the following to be a In the accompanying drawings, Fi ure 1 is a sectional view of a folding stair em odying my improvements, showing the same in lowered extended position; and Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the stair in raised folded position.

The stair-steps l are carried by and secured to the outer ends of bars 2, which bars are pivoted, as at 3, to bars 4, the upper ends of which are also pivotally connected to the outer ends of the bars 2, as at 5. The lower ends of the said bars are also pivotally connected to the inner ends of the bars 2, as at 6, so that said bars form lazy-tongs. The vertical bars 4 at the upper end of the stair are secured in one side of the scuttle-opening 7 in the upper floor. An elevating-pulley 8 is also secured thereto. A rope or cord 9 passes over the said pulley, and its lower end is attached to the lower stair-step, as shown. By drawing upon this cord the stair may be folded and raised so as to compactly dispose it in the scuttle-hole of the upper floor, where itis entirely out of the way. By loosenin the said cord the weight of the stair wil lcause the same to extend and become lowered to the floor below by its own weight, so as to be disposed in position for use. I also attach a cord 10 to the lower end of the stair and provide directionulleys 11 therefor in the upper floor. Weights 12 han from the said cord 10 and coact with the pu leys 11 to partially counterbalance the stairs, so as to render it easy to raise and lower them by pulling upon the cord 9. Preferably the pulleys 11, together With the weight 12, will be disposed between the studs of an outer or partition wall, where they will be entirely out of the way and out of sight. I also provide a trap-door 13 for closing the scuttlehole in the upper iioor. This trap-door is hinged, as at 14, at one side of the scuttlehole and is ada ted to open downwardly and to close upwar ly under the ceiling of the upper floor. I also employ a spring 15 to close the said trap-door automatically when the stairY is raised, so as to entirely conceal the stair and the scuttle-hole.

Having tlius described my invention, what I'claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A folding stair secured at its upper end and comprising lazy-tong bars and steps carried thereby, and a tackle to raise and lower said stair, in combination with a hin ed, downwardly-opening trap-door dispose in the path of the lower portion of the stair and opened therebywhen the stair is lowered, and a spring to close the said trap-door when the stair is raised and clears said trap-door, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERBERT DANIEL KEITH. Witnesses:

CHARLES M. Lor, LUTHER C. KIDD. 

